City analysts really will do anything to get their research read. As banks cut
jobs all over the place, who can blame them?

But spare a thought for any harassed execs who hoped a UBS note called Fifty Shades Of Green might liven up their mornings. Unlike E.L. James’ tale of whips, chains and romance, this contained not a whisper of raunch. Instead, curious readers found an update on prospects for the greenback and the “threat” of more quantitative easing from the Fed.

Torturous some may find Ben Bernanke’s money-printing, but it’s not quite Christian and Ana’s red room of pain.

Better early...

Oops! Red faces at Reuters after the wire service released the services PMI survey a day early.

Still, economists didn’t seem too bothered by the extra work arriving late afternoon, as the data was unexpectedly cheery.

Russia is clamping down on bad behaviour, which sees it ranked the most corrupt member of the G20 economies.

Crime does not pay, thunders the finance ministry. Or, at least, bribes paid abroad are not tax deductible. “Expenses incurred while committing legal violations, including providing bribes or kickbacks, are not recognised for the purposes of tax assessment,” comes the decree.

Well, it’s a start.

Austerity bites

Ryanair stayed faithful to its pledge of being Europe’s only “ultra low cost” airline when it downgraded the catering at yesterday morning’s press conference to water only.

Chief exec Michael O’Leary is no longer willing to splash out on tea and coffee for the City’s transport hacks, it seems.

Reporters were offered some Refresher sweets but O’Leary’s comms chief admitted these had been taken from the hotel. Still, that’s more than passengers get.